120 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



religion and social cliaracteristics would seem to connect tliem with that country. They are 

 Hindoos and preserve their religion and system of caste, together with the costumes of their 

 original country, as well as their language, somewhat modified, however, hy their relation with 

 the Cingalese. The neighboring islands and continents supply a population of Mahommedans 

 or Moors to Ceylon, and they abound in several parts of the country, where, in the various 

 orders into which their law of caste divides them, they carry on a prosperous business as 

 weavers, fishermen, merchants, and bakers. They are among the most enterprising and 

 thriving of the population, and their well known skill and industry have secured them much of 

 the commercial wealth and influence of the island. 



The native language of the aborigines is peculiar to themselves, but their writings are in 

 Sanscrit or Pali. A provincial dialect of Portuguese is, however, generally spoken by those 

 natives who have passed their lives in the European portions of the island. 



The Christian religion was introduced at a very early period into Ceylon. It has been 

 supposed that the apostle Saint Thomas preached there ; however this may be, there is but 

 little doubt that the Nestorians accompanied the Persian merchants, many years ago, to the 

 island and made converts there and established Christianity. On the arrival, however, of the 

 Portuguese navigators there were no remnants of those chiirches which are said to have existed 

 in Ceylon in the sixth century. The zealous Francis Xavier, the Koman Catholic missionary, 

 however, was the first, by his earnest preaching and proselyting energies, to establish the 

 Christian religion permanently on the island, and most of that faith are, accordingly, 

 Komanists. The Church of England is, of course, sustained in accordance with the religious 

 opinions of the British authorities ; and the various other Protestant churches have their 

 members among the European residents. There are missionaries of various sects engaged in 

 efl'orts to evangelize the native heathen, but with what success did not appear. Among these 

 there are no less than eleven Americans ; and the different churches are represented in the 

 proportion of thirty-four Komanist missionaries, twenty Wesleyan, fourteen of the English 

 church, and thirteen Baptists. The predominant religion among the Cingalese is the Buddhist, 

 which was at one time maintained by the British government, a heathen inheritance derived 

 from the succession to the native kings. The tooth of Buddha, the relic so highly revered by 

 his followers, was taken under the especial protection of English orthodoxy, and the ecclesiastical 

 patronage of the Buddhist establishment was exercised by England, in accordance with the not 

 very scrupulous views of political expediency. The guardianship of the tooth of Buddha, and 

 the dispensation of Buddhist church patronage, have been, of late years, properly delegated by 

 a Christian nation to a heathen priesthood. 



There are numerous Buddhist temples in Ceylon, some of which present an impressive aspect; 

 and there is one of great antiquity and so much venerated as to attract votaries from various 

 parts of India. On the arrival of the Mississippi there was a Siamese sloop-of-war in the harbor, 

 which had brought a number of Buddhist priests on a pilgrimage to this temple. 



An interesting incident occurred in connexion with the presence of the Siamese man-of-war. 

 For many reasons the Commodore was desirous of showing some marked attention to the 

 commander of this vessel, who, on acquaintance, was found to be a young man of much intelli- 

 gence and possessing some knowledge of the English language. The Commodore, therefore, 

 dispatched his aid. Lieutenant Contee, to offer to him his services and to invite him on board 

 the Mississippi. The Siamese commander seemed pleased with the compliment and came on 



